Fun and recreation: Express Family Festival concludes in Lahore

LAHORE:

The closing day at Express Family Festival witnessed a larger crowd with cars queued up outside the entrance of the venue till Sunday evening, as people thronged the Lahore expo centre in great numbers to attend the festival.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, along with his wife, also visited the festival on Sunday afternoon. The governor informally interacted with people at the stalls and those attending the festival. Commenting on the festival they said, “It’s necessary to arrange such events for families, as they provide opportunity of healthy activities for them.”

A large number of buyers made their way to the handicrafts’ portion showcasing products from Tharparkar. PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR/ EXPRESS

The festival incorporated a wide range of stalls that were selling home products, handicrafts, toys, books, food items and also offered interactive games and fun-filled activities.

A large number of buyers made their way to the handicrafts’ portion showcasing products from Tharparkar. Ranging from wallets, bags and laptop cases to bed sheets and dresses, the stalls displayed handicrafts showcasing the traditional embroidery of Thar region.

Attracting curious parents and children, a stall of the online portal Techtoys.pk showcased educational toys and robots. The marketing manager Techtoys.pk, Muneeba Saleem, said that the idea behind their initiative is to provide toys that were non-violent and educational. “A large number of toys available in the market are those that do not engage children intellectually. We try to offer parents and children alternatives to this,” she said.

From free services of checking blood pressure and sugar levels to discounted hair and beauty services, the festival offered a wide range of stalls. But the pick of the show, as one could expect from Lahoris, was the food court which witnessed huge crowds throughout the two-day festival.

Located in the open area of the expo premises, the food court had much to offer to please the taste buds including chaat, channey puri, tikka, burgers and biryani. “Sundays are all about channay and halwa puri. How can we not have it while we are at the food court?” said Farhan Islam, who had come with his family to the festival.

A dedicated children’s play area was also set up out in the open. “I am so glad we finally have some entertainment other than watching protests and sit-ins all day. We need to push for more of activities that engage the people in a positive manner’ said Rao Shahid, a teacher by profession, who was attending the festival with his family.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2014.